


Short 31 - The Little Things That Count

by stgjr



Series: "The Power of a Name" Series 3 - "Time Lord Penitent" [7]
Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra, Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005), Multi-Fandom
Genre: Crossover, Gen, Multiple Crossovers, Multiverse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-20
Updated: 2017-05-20
Packaged: 2018-11-03 00:46:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 657
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10956204
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stgjr/pseuds/stgjr
Summary: Our narrator and his Companions share a quiet moment viewing the wonders of Creation and contemplating the future of Korra's world.





	Short 31 - The Little Things That Count

**Author's Note:**

> This was originally posted on November 25th, 2014.

Bright lights covered the alien night sky of T'gurmai. Patterns of yellow and gold and blue and red twirled about and obscured the stars. "That's a... nebula, right?", Korra asked.  
  
"Yes," I answered. "This planet's star system is at the edge of the nebula."  
  
"And a nebula is... it's where stars and suns get created?"  
  
"Those are the same thing," I reminded Korra gently. "And yes, in general. It takes a long, long time though."  
  
"How long?"  
  
"Oh, millions of years."  
  
Korra seemed to consider that for a moment. "That's..."  
  
"...hard to grasp, isn't it? A period of time so long that the entirety of your recorded history is barely a blink of an eye." I raised my eyebrows to make my expression thoughtful-looking. "Things are different at the cosmic scale. It's slow, quiet, and utterly inexorable. Galaxies colliding, stars going nova, gamma ray bursts scouring entire solar systems..."  
  
"So in the long run, we don't really matter, do we?" Asami stepped up beside us. "The universe just keeps going, no matter what we do?"  
  
I shook my head. "Oh, not at all. Life always matters. Species rise and make their mark on the universe all the time. Humans are no different, as you've both seen so far." I put a hand on Asami's shoulder very gently. "You're still make your mark, Asami, don't worry."  
  
Getting to the core of her sudden concern - whether her own futurist mentality was worth anything and assuring her that it was - seemed to settle her. "Yes, I... you're right," Asami said. "It's just a little overwhelming..."  
  
I smiled. "That's the fun of it. So much out here. You just have to remember that the scale of a universe doesn't make everyday life irrelevant. Not to you and others. That's what matters."  
  
Korra's eyes were thoughtful when she glanced back to me. "Will we be traveling between stars one day?"  
  
"Oh, I don't see why not," I answered. "Not sure what system your people will stumble upon. But sure, it'll come one day."  
  
"Yeah." She nodded. The sad look on Korra's face told me why. She knew that she wouldn't be around for it. At least... not as she was now. It would be a different Avatar who got to see their world go into space. Well, to other systems, I imagined Korra could easily live long enough to see the first astronauts of her world.  
  
"Look on the bright side," I said. "When that time comes, you'll be there in spirit. The Avatar of that age will be coming to you for guidance, I suspect."  
  
"Are you saying you won't be traveling with the Avatars after me?", Korra asked.  
  
Oooh, tricky question. "Oh, not at all," I said. "But I haven't met your successors yet. Maybe I will. Maybe I won't. But what is certain is that you'll have that experience that your future lives can look back upon when needed."  
  
I couldn't keep the sad look off my face, not with the thought that crossed my head. I.... had a time limit. Korra would reincarnate one day. Ordinarily I would have quite a few lifetimes coming after this one myself. But... I didn't. I'd spent all my regenerations on the Crucible. For the first time I felt a tinge of regret at that. At the loss of what might have been, how one day a future regeneration of myself might have joined with one of Korra's future lives and be his or her friend like I was Korra's.  
  
But... I was it. Once I was gone, it was over. In a thousand years or maybe fifteen hundred at the most, I would be old and I would die. And the journey would be over.  
  
Okay, I admit it is a bit selfish to complain about that when I would still have a much longer life span. But the thought was there and I admit to it. Best I can do.


End file.
